[OSGeo-Discuss] Sharing sad news from the web...

[Newcomb, Doug]

+1  Keep it simple.

Doug

On Fri, Oct 28, 2016 at 10:54 AM, Randal Hale <
rjhale at northrivergeographic.com> wrote:

> The way I look at it - and this is from watching Teachers at the school:
> Imagine getting a disk full of software. Have a colleague come over and
> repeatedly poke you in the head while you try to figure out what is on the
> disk and where the instructions are. In a few more minutes have someone
> come over and start singing while you are getting poked in the head. Maybe
> someone pours water in your shoe in another 2 minutes.
>
> It needs to be that simple. That's what the ESRI folk are doing "Lessons,
> 'free', and here is the Documentation".
>
> Simple: software, x directories with x lessons.
>
> A giant Red button with "Don't Panic" in nice friendly letters.
>
>
>
> On 10/28/2016 10:39 AM, Angelos Tzotsos wrote:
>
> So according to Randal, to reach out to schools we need a scaled-down and
> lighter OSGeo-Live build (probably without the server side applications),
> with different documentation included. Maybe based on Edubuntu?
>
> I volunteer to make a custom OSGeo-Live iso for kids, but we will need
> lots of feedback and volunteers to shape up a new documentation.
>
> Last year I had the chance to teach several hours of OpenStreetMap to
> school kids in a municipality initiative and I can totally agree that
> things are different with kids. They did not seem to have much difficulty
> with the OSGeo-Live UI, but we ended up playing with iD and less with
> desktop applications, like josm.
>
> just my 2c
>
> Angelos
>
>
> On 10/28/2016 04:55 PM, Randal Hale wrote:
>
> If I can just chime in (I told my cat I wasn't).
>
> The kicker in this is ESRI is deeply entrenched everywhere. They've entire
> groups of people just focused on "giving to schools". I was at the helm of
> rolling out a full ESRI rollout to a school in 2012. We had a 50 seat lab
> setup. I ended up moving them over to FOSS4G 2 years ago - and I need to go
> back and update their setup (they don't know how). The school is Title 1
> (which means the school is very poor). The computers are better than what
> they normally get - BUT - they will be using them longer than what they
> need to. They will be unable to run the next version of ESRI Software. The
> computers can still run FOSS4G software.
>
> The teachers here in the US (and I have no doubt this is the case
> everywhere) are stretched thin. That's what makes ESRI so nice. They show
> up and go "here is a curriculum (of sorts) and here is 'free' software".
> It's a short term win. They have people targeted to do just that.
>
> So what would Randy do (and I've thought about this more than I care to
> mention) to introduce FOSS4G into the schools:
>
> A bootable disk with FOSS4G software (I am partial to QGIS - other things
> exist) and not everything like the OSGEO Disk. A few select pieces of
> software with a purpose:
>
>  * 10 lessons of 1 hour apiece to work through that are student
>    oriented (maybe pick an age range - 12-16)
>      o Start globally and work down to locally. Maybe we have different
>        local datasets.
>  * An explanation for the teachers. They don't understand like we do -
>    they need us there for hand holding and encouragement. They can
>    manage kids - We need to help manage the lessons. I'm not a teacher.
>    I can teach adults - but not kids - it's a whole different  game.
>  * A spot where teachers can get the lessons (NOT GITHUB) and the disk
>    (maybe we combine all things into a bootable USB stick).
>  * Help - a place where they can get help (NOT GITHUB). My town has 30+
>    schools. If more than 1 does this I can't be everywhere. ESRI put
>    out a call for Geomentors. We put out a call.
>  * We have COMMUNITY - I don't believe ESRI currently does. They have
>    an advertising budget. 20 years ago they had community. We have
>    momentum now. Community is greater than an Advertising budget.
>  * Advertise it. Ask for help from the teachers.
>  * Update it.
>
> I know I'm asking for a lot - it's time intensive - but I think it's 100%
> doable. I go to speak at 2 colleges on GIS Day on nothing but FOSS4G.
>
> We've got all the pieces to make this work except time. I'll carve out
> some time if this gets going.
>
> I wished the cat had stopped me. Now I'm in it.
>
>
> On 10/28/2016 09:16 AM, Jeff McKenna wrote:
>
> As if someone is reading this ha, a tweet just came across my desk:
> https://twitter.com/GIS4Teachers/status/791981572991746048
>
> So, we need to also get into that huge K-12 market, plant the open seed
> early :)  A challenge indeed.
>
> Think on this over the weekend,
>
> -jeff
>
>
>
>
> On 2016-10-27 12:36 PM, SERGIO ACOSTAYLARA wrote:
>
> Sadly, only ESRI seems to exist for some in the USA...Imagine the
> consequences of
> this: http://www.pobonline.com/articles/100610-gathering-up-
> geospatial-pros-to-meet-massive-market-growth
> ​
>
>
> Sergio Acosta y Lara
> Departamento de Geomática
> Dirección Nacional de Topografía
> Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas
> URUGUAY
> (598)29157933 ints. 20329/20330
> http://geoportal.mtop.gub.uy/
>
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>
> --
> Angelos Tzotsos, PhD
> OSGeo Charter Memberhttp://users.ntua.gr/tzotsos
>
>
>
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>
> --
> -----------------
> Randal Hale
> North River Geographic Systems, Inchttp://www.northrivergeographic.com
> 423.653.3611 rjhale at northrivergeographic.com
> twitter:rjhale
>
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-- 
Doug Newcomb
USFWS
551F Pylon Dr
Raleigh, NC
919-856-4520 ext. 14 doug_newcomb at fws.gov
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